Hunting The Big Fish - Yoritomo Ochiba Epilogue
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2025 11:36 pm
Six weeks after the events of Nakahama, in orbit above green carp.
"It's ready captain, but the power you're demanding, I can't guarantee the system will be able to take it."
The rest of the bridge crew looks over to Ochiba as she sits in thought on the ornate captain's chair at the center of the room.
"But, we can do it?"
"Aye."
The slightly flustered Kaiu bows his head. "I've given it everything I have, if this doesn't work, nothing will."
"Then there's nothing for it!" The Mantis jumps up with a grin at the nervous faces around her.
"Tsuruchi-san... give us full power on my mark."
A young samurai, barely out of the academy nods shakily, a sweaty hand hovering over a large lever.
"3...2...1...engage"
The lever is forced down with a thunk and machinery all around them begins to vibrate as the lights flicker. Nervous seconds drag on and on until finally the lights of the bridge brighten and loud music starts blaring through the newly installed speakers as the rest of the crew cheers.
The engineer shakes his head in disbelief.
"Almost thought the new sound system would be the end of us."
"Never doubted your skills for a second Kaiu-san, nor the importance of getting our surround sound working."
With relieved looks the rest of the samurai present disperse back to their stations, the bridge now humming with the steady low sound of voices.
"Seems our refit is at an end then."
Ochiba spares a moment for a look down at the planet below, one she found herself oddly fond it. Slowly she returns to the chair, reaching down and picking up a microphone and giving it a pat pat that is heard throughout the aging battleship.
"Attention crew of the New Orochi, this is your captain speaking. We are about to set sail for the first time together. I could tell you this is one of the finest ships in our fleet, or that every inch of it has been sanctified and blessed by the finest priests. I could tell you how many guns we carry, or how many souls are aboard. But you know all that, it's why you're here. So I'll keep it simple.
We're going to make fortunes together. We're going to make legends together and Fortunes damn it we're going to make our futures together. Now, who wants to make some koku?"
The ship rattles with approval as she slams the receiver down.
"Helmsman, take us out on our plotted path. This Orochi is hunting the big fish."
"It's ready captain, but the power you're demanding, I can't guarantee the system will be able to take it."
The rest of the bridge crew looks over to Ochiba as she sits in thought on the ornate captain's chair at the center of the room.
"But, we can do it?"
"Aye."
The slightly flustered Kaiu bows his head. "I've given it everything I have, if this doesn't work, nothing will."
"Then there's nothing for it!" The Mantis jumps up with a grin at the nervous faces around her.
"Tsuruchi-san... give us full power on my mark."
A young samurai, barely out of the academy nods shakily, a sweaty hand hovering over a large lever.
"3...2...1...engage"
The lever is forced down with a thunk and machinery all around them begins to vibrate as the lights flicker. Nervous seconds drag on and on until finally the lights of the bridge brighten and loud music starts blaring through the newly installed speakers as the rest of the crew cheers.
The engineer shakes his head in disbelief.
"Almost thought the new sound system would be the end of us."
"Never doubted your skills for a second Kaiu-san, nor the importance of getting our surround sound working."
With relieved looks the rest of the samurai present disperse back to their stations, the bridge now humming with the steady low sound of voices.
"Seems our refit is at an end then."
Ochiba spares a moment for a look down at the planet below, one she found herself oddly fond it. Slowly she returns to the chair, reaching down and picking up a microphone and giving it a pat pat that is heard throughout the aging battleship.
"Attention crew of the New Orochi, this is your captain speaking. We are about to set sail for the first time together. I could tell you this is one of the finest ships in our fleet, or that every inch of it has been sanctified and blessed by the finest priests. I could tell you how many guns we carry, or how many souls are aboard. But you know all that, it's why you're here. So I'll keep it simple.
We're going to make fortunes together. We're going to make legends together and Fortunes damn it we're going to make our futures together. Now, who wants to make some koku?"
The ship rattles with approval as she slams the receiver down.
"Helmsman, take us out on our plotted path. This Orochi is hunting the big fish."